In 1964, the famous television bandleader Lawrence Welk went for a drive in the country north of San Diego, Calif., planning to invest in a grove of orange trees. Instead he bought a motel and a nine-hole golf course. When he staged his TV show there, it gained instant celebrity as a tourist hotspot, eventually growing to include a theatre, more golf and vacation homes…continue

A recent TIME magazine article by Christopher Matthews highlighted the work of employee ownership scholars Blasi, Kruse and Freeman, suggesting that employee ownership has the potential to be a core solution to the economic woes of our country. Of course, we agree, and it is very encouraging to see articles taking that position in such a mainstream magazine…continue

Recently, I read that Dennis Kozlowski, former CEO of TYCO who has been in prison for more than six years for stealing from his former employer is eligible for parole in 2014. Kozlowski had asked the parole board for mercy (early release), which was denied. While he is serving this sentence because of criminal acts, it raised again for me the importance of practicing ethics in business and in life…continue

We can all relate to the joy of taking ownership of something we deem valuable. Think of a time when you were able to claim stake to something that was yours. Maybe it was when you got the keys to your first car or when you presented a great idea that was your concept. We take pride in what is ours…continue

After several postponements, 401(k) fee disclosure was mandated by the Department of Labor before July 1st of 2012. So what kind of impact have we seen in the ESOP world? Has it been successful in helping plan sponsors and participants understand the costs of their 401(k) plans…continue

The American worker is doing so well. The median wage earner’s pay hasn’t grown in years, while most economic growth is being captured only by the already wealthy. While these problems are well-documented, finding a solution for the average wage-earner’s plight has been more difficult...continue